Promising Hope (4 page)

The smell of spicy Jolenian food floated through the
air. Preparations for the banquet, which would celebrate the end of
the curse and honor Sierra and Grace.

The entire previous evening, Nilee’s daughter Ela had
covered Sierra, Evan, Matilda, and Lee in temporary dyes, marking
them with intricate Jolenian honor symbols. Sierra looked down at
her hands, amazed at the dark red lines snaking over her fingers:
flowers, dots, lines. She’d wrapped her hands, arms, and feet
overnight, but when she washed the crusty stuff off in the morning,
she marveled at the beautiful art on her skin. ß

Sierra knew she’d have to go inside soon. She needed
to speak with Jeshro and see what they could do about rescuing
Grace, Dar, Vin, and Amina. They’d been a low priority while
everyone was recovering and sorting through the ancient texts, but
now they had to make a plan. Sierra wouldn’t leave them behind.

She pulled her hair into a braid again and watched
the waves crash against the rocks below her. Further down the
coast, she could see Nilee and Mort’s personal boat for fishing.
The castle was miles from the nearby villages. Carriages and horses
had left to get things for the banquet as soon as Angela was done
sharing Sierra’s memories with the last elder.

“Sierra?”

Evan’s head craned out of the window, and he gave her
a small smile. “I thought I might find you here.”

She smiled at him and patted the spot next to her.
“Why don’t you come join me?”

Evan’s smile faded. “Jeshro’s called a meeting.”

Sierra sighed. She knew the moment wouldn’t last
long, but she’d hoped it would be longer. With one last look at the
view, she left the roof and moved to the window. Evan took her hand
to helped her inside. He pulled her close and kissed her. She
wrapped her arms around him, relaxing into his embrace.

When they pulled away, he smiled and kissed her
forehead. “Yesterday… was long overdue.”

“I know,” Sierra whispered. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you, too,” Evan said, brushing a strand
of hair from her face. “It’s been a long two years.”

She thought of Matt from the circus and her short
relationship with him. He was so unlike Evan. Though he’d cared for
her, most of her time with Matt had been flighty, fun, frivolous.
She ran a finger over the thin stubble forming on Evan’s chin. “It
has.”

“I guess we’re lucky we did it before they put that
gunk on us.” They’d died Evan’s hands, too, though the designs were
smaller, as well as more geometrical and less feminine. He took the
hand on his chin and looked at her hands. “Though it looks
beautiful on you.”

She smiled. “I’ll tell Ela you said so. I like it on
you, too.”

He kissed the tips of her fingers. “You know how many
times I fantasized about seeing you again? I dreamt about you all
the time.”

“Really?” She tried to make eye contact, but his gaze
was fixed on the designs on her palms. They hadn’t talked about
their time apart much; they’d focused on traveling, on the curse,
on surviving.

“If you ever died, I’d…”

“Let’s not think about that. We’re together now.”

Evan stepped away from her and squeezed her hand.
“Yes.”

They walked through the castle to the north wing,
where the meetings had been taking place. The castle furnishings
were colorful and bright. Though most of the decor was saved for
the rooms, the various corridors walls had murals painted on the
stone walls. The one they walked through to the meeting was covered
in a mural of Jolenian history: battle scenes, kings and queens in
throne rooms.

When they entered the meeting room, Sierra saw most
of the elders sat at the table, save Nilee and Bea. An assortment
of other Avialies were present, as well, including Adrian and
Caleb.

“Thank you for joining us, Sierra,” Jeshro said. “I
thought you might want to be involved in this. At the very least,
you should know about it.”

“About what?” Sierra asked. She took her usual spot,
the seat to the right of Jeshro, who was at the head of the table.
Evan sat next to her.

Jeshro stood up and placed his hands on the table,
looking at the others. “Based on the memories we’ve shared with
Sierra, we know who cursed the Avialies.”

Someone gasped; the group leaned forward, instantly
more intrigued.

“He’s still alive, and we need to prevent the curse
from happening again,” Jeshro said. “If the Protectors find out the
curse is broken, they may try to contact this Thieran again.”

“Who is it?” Adrian hissed.

“I’ll only reveal his identity to the men who will
join the unit to find him.”

“We all will,” Adrian said. He looked around the
table, and the men nodded in agreement.

Sierra noticed Lisbeth was the only woman. These men
were going to find the Thieran and then what? She considered it for
a moment, but after looking at the determined faces, she didn’t
have to ask. Her eyes widening, she looked at Evan, who gazed at
Jeshro with a grim look.

“I need a definite answer,” Jeshro said. “This unit
will be going back into Haltar, where this man lives. They’ll be up
against the Protectors, and if anyone is kidnapped… well, we can’t
let valuable information reach the Protectors.”

Sierra touched Evan’s hand. “Evan,” she
whispered.

He made no motion that he even noticed her hand
touching him. She gritted her teeth and looked around the table as
the men nodded again.

“We’ll do it,” Adrian said.

“Yes, Adrian, I understand you’re willing, but you’re
not the spokesperson for everyone here,” Jeshro said. “I need
individual vows.”

“Vows that what?” Sierra asked, taking her hand from
Evan’s. “That they’ll kill themselves if they’re kidnapped?”

“If that’s what it has to be, then yes,” Jeshro
said.

“That’s the only solution you can think of? What
about paired Cosa magic?”

Jeshro gave her a smile like she was a child. “That
doesn’t work with any two people, and we’d need a fairly strong
Cosa to do that.”

“What about Matilda?” Sierra asked.

Jeshro shook his head. “Even if she were able, I
wouldn’t ask it of her.”

“But you’d ask your own blood relatives to go on a
suicide mission?”

“There’s every chance at succeeding—”

Sierra scoffed. “You think the Protectors are just
going to let a group of assassins take out their most powerful
Thieran? He’s probably guarded and kept at the palace; he probably
has been for years.”

“We’re going to consider everything, Sierra.”

“If you really are, then there’s no need to ask your
men to kill themselves if they get taken hostage.”

“That is the extreme. I need to be sure of the fealty
of everyone in this room, even in the most extreme circumstances.”
Jeshro splayed his hands out in front of him. “Does that please
you?”

Sierra gritted her teeth. “I will be pleased when I’m
sure you’ve done all you can to protect my husband and the other
men here.”

“Sierra, I’m not a child,” Evan said in a low
voice.

“No, you’re not,” she snapped. “But if you’re going
to leave me for this Thieran, I’m making sure you’re coming back
alive.”

Evan leaned closer, dropping his voice even further
so Sierra could hardly hear him. “Do not make this about you.”

She clenched her hands into fists. She knew this
wasn’t the time or the place, but her anger wouldn’t let her remain
silent. “Tell me, Evan, one time in the last month when I’ve made
anything about me. I’ve traipsed all over Haltar for you and this
damn family. I risked my life for people who were okay with killing
the both of us, and you want to run off—”

“I am not running off,” Evan said. “I’m doing this
for us!”

“Oh, don’t you dare.” Sierra shook her head, dropping
her voice so the others couldn’t hear her. “If you did anything for
us, you’d stay here with me.”

“And then what? Go get Grace and Dar? They’re at the
palace, and rescuing them is going to be just as dangerous as
finding the Thieran.”

Sierra sputtered for a moment. “One will save lives
and the other will end it.”

“That Thieran will kill more people. More of our
people,” he said. She bit back her words—they weren’t
her
people. “He’ll kill our chances at a family.”

What kind of family could they have? They had no
house, no money, warrants out on their heads for murder, and
serious psychological issues. Just two days ago, he’d been against
having a family. She let out a slow breath, rubbing her forehead.
“You can do whatever you want, Evan, but I still think Jeshro
should do more to protect you.”

“I will do everything I can,” Jeshro said. “I
promise, Sierra.”

Sierra gave him a curt nod, and he cleared his
throat. All the men he’d originally invited stayed, stated their
loyalty to the Avialies in the face of anything, and Jeshro told
them who the Thieran was, a nobleman named Gregorio. He talked
about theories of where he could be: his estate in Renaul, the
castle, his brother’s manor. He told them about spies in Haltar,
and they started speaking tactics.

Sierra tried to pay attention, but her mind was
elsewhere. She tried to think of a good argument to keep Evan with
her. Every time he contributed something, though, it was more and
more clear he was determined to go. Why must he leave for this?
Another man could kill the Thieran. They’d just been talking about
how glad they were to be together again. He’d just told her he’d
dreamt about her and fantasized about seeing her. So why would he
want to leave her?

When Jeshro proposed Adrian be in charge and Evan be
the next in line, Sierra had to fight back tears. She didn’t want
to cry in front of all these people, and she cleared her throat.
“If you don’t mind, Jeshro, I’m going to step outside.”

She didn’t wait for his response; she stood up and
forced herself not to run as she left the room. A sob escaped her
mouth once the doors were closed. She walked down the corridor,
searching for a private place as tears streamed down her face. She
stopped at an alcove with a balcony and leaned on the railing. No
matter how much she wiped her face, more tears replaced them. She
was horrified that someone would walk by and see her sobbing, and
yet she wanted Evan to come out to be with her.

She remembered a time when they were younger. They’d
just lost Ellena, a friend who’d miscarried and caught a disease
that killed her. She wasn’t the only one by any means, but she was
one Sierra had been close with. A day later when everyone was
talking about her, Sierra had left the room to cry by herself, but
Evan had followed her and held her.

She now waited for him, wondering if he noticed she
was crying or if he was too busy with the meeting. Even if he had
noticed, would he care enough to come out? Her shoulders shook as
she wished it hadn’t come to this. She’d never analyzed things
between them so much. She just didn’t want to lose him.

“Sierra?”

Sierra jumped at the sound of Matilda’s voice. She
spun around and knocked her shoulder on the wall of the alcove.

“Sorry,” Matilda said.

Sierra rubbed at her shoulder and hastily wiped her
face. She knew if she said something, she might start crying again,
so she remained silent, staring at two men painted on the wall.

“I want to show you something,” Matilda said,
stepping closer to her.

“N-now?”

Matilda shrugged. “Unless you’re busy.”

Sierra couldn’t go back in there like this; she’d
probably start balling again as soon as she saw Evan. Sniffling,
she said, “Okay.”

Matilda motioned for Sierra to follow, and she led
her through the northern wing of the castle to the front gates.
Sierra took a deep breath of fresh air. She didn’t think anyone at
the meeting would miss her. Lisbeth might ask why she didn’t come
back, but they didn’t need her. Not anymore, at least.

Instead of following the fork to either the road or
the beach, Matilda stepped off the path and started to move down
the rocky hill on top of which the castle was perched.

“Where are we going?” Sierra asked now that she had
her breath back.

“You’ll see. It’s worth it.”

They walked for a moment, but they were soon climbing
down the rocks. Sierra was glad she wore pants today. She saw small
white crabs flee from them, scuttling into crevices between the
black rocks. Below them, waves crashed against the rocks and sand.
When they were a few feet from the waves, Matilda moved to the
side, closer to the ocean. Sierra’s boots nearly slipped once or
twice, but the waves weren’t deep. She’d only soak herself and get
a few scratches.

“Where are we going?” Sierra repeated as they rounded
the hill. When she looked up, the castle stretched out hundreds of
feet above them at the summit of the hill.

“We’re almost there,” Matilda called.

What had she been thinking, coming out here with
Matilda? She’d probably throw her into the ocean or something.

Around the hill, the rocks hollowed into a cave. The
rocks became more sparse on the shore, replaced by sand and
pebbles, and a shallow amount of water disappeared into the mouth
of the cave. Matilda stopped and sat on a jutting rock to remove
her shoes.

“I don’t know about caves,” Sierra said, gazing down
the cave, where the water disappeared into darkness. It reminded
her of when she and Grace separated in the caves in Mumbar Jungle.
That trip to the top seemed to go on forever.

“Don’t worry, it’s not long,” Matilda said. She
stepped into the water, the clear liquid reaching her calves and
flowing past her.

“But what are you showing this to me for? Is it just
a cave?” Sierra couldn’t fight the frustration. She’d climbed down
here and cut open one of her fingers, and now she felt all those
memories of that horrible cave rushing back. After Grace fell, and
Sierra was worrying about Evan…